SARS infection control in Taiwan: investigation of nurses' professional obligation

This exploratory, cross-sectional, quantitative study investigated the relationship among hospital nurses' willingness to provide care for severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) patients, their attitudes toward SARS infection control measures, and nurses' health status and demographic characteristics. This project was conducted from May 6 to 12, 2003. A total of 126 nurses working in hospitals participated in this study. A conceptual model was developed, and the author designed a questionnaire to test this model. The developed model explained 32% of the variance in nurses' willingness to provide care for SARS patients. Nurses' levels of agreement with general SARS infection control measures, self-treatment of relief of fever and cough, necessity to close Hoping and Jenchi hospitals, nurses' physical health status, and holding a bachelor's degree were statistically significant predictors of nurses' willingness to care for SARS patients. Based on these findings, suggestions and study limitations are discussed.